A chemical, MNU-induced hulless barley mutant line designated as 'Mutant 98 (M98)' was developed from a Korean hulless waxy barley cultivar, 'Chalssalbori'. The objective of the study was to determine the genetic basis of 'M98' and the possibility of using 'M98' as breeding parent to improve lysine level. Compared to 'Chalssalbori', 'M98' had large embryo and higher lysine content in both the embryo and endosperm. Significantly different lysine content in 'M98' and the other high-lysine barley mutant stocks was observed for two years. However, the genotype by year interaction was not significant. 'M98' was higher than the other high-lysine barley mutant stocks in the percentage of lysine of total amino acid composition (0.75%). The trait of shrunken endosperm of 'M98', which was typical in the high-lysine mutants, was inherited by a single recessive gene. Based on seed morphology and lysine content of F1 seeds, 'M98' had a genetically different gene from the other high-lysine mutants for shrunken endosperm. Segregation of F2 for plump/shrunken endosperm did not fit the expected ratio of Mendelian inheritance except for only one cross combination (GSHO1784 (lys1)/M98). The amino acid analysis of F5 and F6 progenies from the cross between 'M98' and 'Chalssalbori' revealed that the attempt to increase the range of lysine content of plump lines did not go beyond the limit of the average high-lysine barley germplasm.

We investigated the effects of temperature changes on the oxygen consumption rhythm in Japanese eels, Anguilla japonica, using an automatic intermittent flow respirometer (AIFR). The endogenous rhythm of the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in the eels (n = 18; 44-74 cm, 145-690 g), freshly collected by bag net from estuaries, was nearly synchronous with the tidal pattern of the estuarine collection site. The magnitude of mean OCR (mOCR) of eels showed variable range of 82.2 - 116.5 ml O2 kg-1 ww h-1 under constant conditions. In case of increasing temperature from 25 to 38℃, the OCR of eels exhibited a gradually increasing trend with a rhythmic pattern until 36℃. Above 36℃, the rhythms of the OCR dampened and the OCR decreased rapidly at around 36 - 37℃. The OCR of the eels exhibited the maximum value at 38℃, and then it sharply decreased. The results suggested that the critical thermal maximum (CTM) regarding the endogenous rhythms of the eels was at around 36 - 37℃ when water temperature increased at 0.5℃/14 h following the acclimation at 25℃. In case of decreasing temperature (0.5℃/14 h) from 25 to 0℃, the OCR of the eels displayed a abrupt decrease up to 23℃, and between at 23 and 20℃, there was an agitation which showed a slight increase in the OCR with a duration of 1-2 days. Below 9℃, the OCR rhythm of the eels showed a constant state regardless of temperature decreasing. These results suggest that the Japanese eel has an upper incipient lethal temperature at 36℃, with a lower thermal limit at 9℃. The biochemical aspects of the eels influenced by water temperature need to be further studied.

Carrots (Daucus carota L.) are consumed as an important dietary source of b-carotene (provitamin A), a-carotene and lutein. An HPLC method was applied to determine the content of the carotenoid composition in carrot cultivars from Korea. Analyses were carried out with five carrot cultivars (Socheon-5-chon, Hongsim-5-chon, Myeongju-5-chon, Seonhongbom-5-chon and Betarich) sown at April, 2007 and six cultivars (Yeoreum-5-chon, Hanyeoreum-5-chon, Sinheukjeon-5-chon, Bibariheukjeon, Manina and Betarich) sown at August of the same year. The former and the latter carrots were harvested after 110 and 96 days from seeding, respectively, and the carotenoids were extracted with acetone after freeze-drying. The amount of a-carotenewas similar to that of b-carotene for the carrot cultivars sown at spring, while the content was about a half of b-carotene content for the latter cultivars. In addition, the average content of lutein in the former cultivars was nine times higher than that in the latter cultivars. Among the spring cultivation types, Socheon-5-chon and Myeongju-5-chon showed higher amount of a-carotene and b-carotene, while the higher amount was determined in Yeoreum-5-chon and Sinheukjeon-5-chon among the autumn cultivation types. This difference between spring cultivation types and autumn cultivation types was also shown in commercial two types of carrots purchased from local market.

When three cultivars, “Shinsunchalbyeo”, “Nokmi” and “GW-05-01”, which was collected from native glutinous rice, were exposed to increased salinity stress in exogenous solution and duration of salt stress, leaf relative water content (RWC), root water uptake and chlorophyll fluorescence were observed the significant decrease at ≥500mM NaCl concentration for 4 day stress. These decrease in leaf RWC showed 69%, 77% and 67% for Shinsunchalbeyo, Nokmi and GW-05-01, respectively, in water uptake these effects showed 84%, 85% and 91%. The difference in Fv/Fm of plants treated with 500mM NaCl showed 0.62, 0.68 and 0.78 compared with 0.78, 0.81 and 0.75 in control treatment. The effects of NaCl stress in rice seedlings indicate that the leaf RWC and photosynthetic capacity is more sensitive GW-05-01 in comparison with Shinsunchalbyeo and Nokmi, and water uptake in root is more resistant. Average plant height in Shisunchalbyeo, Nokmi and GW-05-01 showed 107, 102 and 111cm, and the 1000 grains weight were 25.5, 20.3 and 21.8, respectively.